


A Walk Down Memory Lane

by betheflame, HogwartsToAlexandria



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, M/M, Minor Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Minor Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov/Pepper Potts, Minor Steve Rogers/Thor, Original Children Characters - Freeform, Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are Siblings, Saptastic Family Memories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22037293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betheflame/pseuds/betheflame, https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria
Summary: It's Tony Stark and Stephen Strange's 50th anniversary. That calls for some reminiscing.
Relationships: Stephen Strange/Tony Stark
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35
Collections: Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019





	A Walk Down Memory Lane

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to our 2nd collaboration for the Marvel Reverse Big Bang 2019! We hope you enjoy our schmoopy fluff fest. 
> 
> Thanks to the mods for organizing such a fantastic event.
> 
> Also - I created a _slew_ of original characters for this one, so allow me to give you a brief chart. 
> 
> Ages of Our MCU Pals During "Present Time" in story:  
> Stephen, Steve, Bucky, Pep, Thor - 80  
> Tony, Nat, Carol, Sam - 75
> 
> Children:  
> Stephen/Tony: 3. Lizbeth is 43, was adopted at birth, and is married to Mark. They have Sophie (12) and Andrea 9) Nathan is 39, was adopted when he was three, and is married to Padma. They have twins Felicity & Ada, who are 12. Maebh is 36 and was born via surrogate birth.  
> Nat/Bucky - no kids  
> Steve/Thor - estranged from their daughter, Marta. (Her story is scratching to come out, so look for a ThunderShield sequel to this soon!)

* * *

“50 years is kind of a big deal,” Nathan Stark looked at his older sister. “We should do something.”

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t, I’m saying I don’t know what,” Elizabeth - or Lizbeth to her friends, family, and everyone who wasn’t her employee - growled. “There’s too many options.”

“I think it should involve the grandkids somehow,” Nathan’s wife, Padma, replied. “A vacation, maybe?”

“Do you guys remember who Dad and Pops are,” Lizbeth raised an eyebrow. “A 50th anniversary party for Stephen Strange and Anthony Stark is a public event. If we want to do a family vacation, as well, I think that sounds great and, Padma feel free to plan it. But there needs to be a public thing, too.”

Maebh, the youngest of the clan, looked up from her phone. “I just double checked and that place Dad likes out in Nantucket is available on the 15th of June because of a cancelled wedding. Why don’t we book it and then plan some sort of exclusive thing that Dad will love and Pops will tolerate and I’ll work with Auntie Pep?”

Lizbeth nodded. “Yes, perfect, great idea.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “So the dramatic flailing was unnecessary?”

Lizbeth smacked her brother in the shoulder and then they all froze at the sound of their fathers’ footsteps coming back into the house.

“Kids?” Tony called.

“In the family room,” Nathan responded and soon they all saw their 75-year-old father peek his head into the room.

“Your father has all four girls and I believe he may be open to selling Felicity at auction soon,” Tony said, with a pointed look to Nathan. Nathan and Padma’s twins - Felicity and Ada - were known for their insatiable curiosity and their Papa loved them, he really did… but every man has his limits.

“I’ll go, Dad,” Padma smiled. “I’m sure there’s a truly horrifying true crime documentary on some channel or another we can tempt them with.” Tony kissed her on the cheek as she passed and then made himself comfortable - gingerly, since his hips weren’t what they used to be - on the sofa next to Maebh.

“How have you five been entertaining yourself while we minded the girls?”

“We started to plan your anniversary party,” Lizbeth replied.

Tony rolled his eyes and waved his hand to dismiss his meddling children. “I’ll just take your Pops away somewhere. We haven’t been to that place in Italy in a while. The one with the wine he likes.”

“Dad,” Mark, Lizbeth’s husband said from his corner of the room, “that’s not gonna fly and you know it. Lizbeth, Maebh, and Aunt Pepper will make sure it’s both what you two want and something that can go in the family archives.”

“Fucking family archives,” Tony grumbled good naturedly.

“Hey,” Maebh elbowed her father. “It wasn’t our decision to turn all of Pops’ paintings over to the gallery, or to add personal artifacts, or to-”

Tony clapped his hand over her mouth as her siblings all laughed. “Fine, fine, fine. Your point is taken. Now, food?”

“Lasagna and garlic bread are both in the oven, just waiting for you and Pops to get back,” Nathan replied.

“Well, then let’s get this show on the road. The first family dinner of 2070 is officially underway.”

* * *

Anthony Stark - of the Nantucket Starks, the real estate moguls whose blood ran blue - committed the greatest sin that any one of his family could commit when he was 24 years old.

He fell in love with an artist.

And not an artist anyone had ever heard of.

No, he fell in love with Stephen Strange of the… Grand Rapids Strange’s, who was two paychecks away from eviction when Tony’s friend Steve recommended him for a commission.

The story - as the public know it - is this:

The Stark Siblings - Anthony and Virginia - had taken over Stark & Sons Realty (which had been Stark & Sons Land Transfer Corp, which had been a stagecoach company, which had been a whale fishing operation, which had been an importer of dry goods, which had been established sometime during the Revolution) when they were 21 and 26 respectively upon the tragic death of their parents. As part of a massive re-brand, they changed the name to AVS Hearths & Homes and Virginia took over as COO. Anthony became Vice President of Sales and set to work renovating several apartment buildings in Brooklyn that were in dire need of repair.

He had hired Pepper’s childhood best friend (and rising star in the New York art scene) Steven Rogers to paint custom murals in the public spaces, but Mr. Rogers had to remove himself from the project at the last minute when his husband, New York Giants Defensive End Thor Odinson, underwent surgery for a torn ACL during a crucial playoff game.

Thankfully, both for the project and for Tony Stark, Mr. Rogers had a colleague who was available for an emergency commission. Stephen Strange had never undertaken a full lobby mural before, but proved himself worthy of the task. Mr. Stark and Mr. Strange were married in 2020 in a private ceremony near the Stark compound on Nantucket.

The story - as it really goes - is this:

Tony was fucking furious at the timing when Thor got hurt six days before Steve needed to start the commission on the old Schineart building in Red Hook. He and Pep talked about delaying the painting until after the tenants were moved back in, but it just wasn’t prudent.

He’d been about to swallow his fourteenth Tums of that morning when Steve sent a text that a pal of his from art school recommended a guy who’d just moved up from Philly where he’d been part of their public mural project. He was a bit aloof, Steve warned, and a few of the Philly folks said he was a pain in the ass perfectionist so just let him work alone, but the work he produced was incredible.

Tony hired him based on four photos that Steve sent him of the murals and didn’t bother meeting the man until he was three weeks into the project.

_“Mr. Strange!” Tony called jovially as he stepped over paint cans and around piles of dropcloths to reach his artist._

_“I don’t talk when I’m working,” came the reply from the tall man on the scaffold._

_“I’d like to respect that,” Tony replied, his patience quickly evaporating, “but I need to speak to you about supplies.”_

_“You’ll have to return at 8:15pm when I have concluded work for the day.”_

_Tony took a deep breath so that he wouldn’t scream. “No, Mr. Strange, you see, I’m Anthony Stark and I sign your paychecks, so I need you to come down here so that we can talk about supplies.”_

_“My checks are signed by a Ms. Virginia Stark. I will speak with Ms. Virginia Stark if necessary at 8:15pm when I have concluded work for the day. Now please leave, you are delaying my progress.”_

Tony had stormed back to Pepper’s office and screamed at her that he was firing the artist on the Red Hook project because he was insufferable and then Pepper showed him sixteen emails from their tenants and fourteen from board members complementing the mural and Tony shut his mouth.

Strange’s work was so good that they hired him for several more projects while Steve was helping Thor convalesce. And then kept him on retainer for whenever Steve wasn’t available.

Tony made sure Pepper dealt with Strange.

Until, one night, about two years into the whole arrangement, when Pepper had the flu. She had arranged to meet Strange at a project in Jamaica in Queens to go over some final color schemes but was, instead, vomiting profusely.

Tony had to go in her place.

In Tony’s world, this constituted a crisis.

In Pepper’s world, her brother was being an over-dramatic child.

Strange was living in one of the apartments while he worked - it was part of his contract with AVS - and so Tony knocked on the door impatiently.

_“Strange,” Tony called. “Pepper’s sick and she sent me and I’m not any happier about this than you are, but fucking open the door. We’re not paying for heat in the common areas yet and it is colder than a goddamn witches tit out here so fucking open the goddamn door.”_

_The door flung open to reveal Strange, wearing a sardonic expression and ratty pajamas. “Do you use profanity so liberally with all those in your employ?”_

_“Only the special ones, sugar plum,” Tony retorted and pushed past Strange into the apartment. He stopped short about seven steps in. “Holy fuck, what is that?”_

_Tony’s eyes were fixed on a large canvas on an easel across the room._

_“It’s my current work in progress,” Strange responded._

_“It’s incredible,” Tony breathed out, as though he couldn't trust his own voice. His eyes found Strange. “Absolutely never tell Steve this, but it’s better than his stuff.’_

_“I know.”_

_Tony started laughing at the simplicity of that statement and didn’t stop until there were tears running down his face. The last few months had been horrible and it seemed like Stephen Strange’s brand of honesty was just what he needed to breathe. Finally, he stopped and looked at Stephen._

_“You’re not an ass, are you, you just don’t have time for fucking around?”_

_“I’m told that makes me an ass,” Stephen responded._

_“Well, let’s agree on this. I won’t waste your time, so if I’m here or I need something, it means it’s serious. Yeah?”_

_Stephen considered this for a moment and stuck out his hand. “Agreed.”_

From there, things started to slowly thaw. Tony found himself needing to run errands that took him near buildings where Stephen was working. Stephen seemed to need Tony’s assistance more often than Pepper’s. Finally, one New Year’s Eve at Steve and Thor’s, Tony decided enough was enough.

_“You hate wasting time so I’m just gonna come out with it,” Tony said in a low tone as soon as he sat down next to Stephen, somewhere ‘round about 11:30. “Midnight, the kiss bullshit, I’d like it to be you. If you’re into that-”_

_Tony was cut off by Stephen’s lips on his. He took a moment to readjust his reality and then twisted his body to provide the other man better access. When Stephen finally pulled back, he winked._

_“Why waste any more time?”_

The wedding was eleven months later.

* * *

* * *

“Grandpa Jamie?”

Bucky looked up from his book to see Felicity and Ada - Nathan and Padma’s twins - peeking their heads into his study. He and Nat had chosen not to have kids for a whole host of reasons and had delighted in helping their friends raise their various broods. When Pepper joined their arrangement when they were all in their 40s, it just continued to make sense. Their reward was that all the various grandchildren elected to use “Grandpa Jamie” or “Nana Nat” as their names instead of bothering with “Aunt” and “Uncle” like their parents did.

Pepper, however, remained “Aunt Pepper” or “Auntie Pep” to all generations. “Nana” was not a title she was interested in.

“How can I help you dolls?”

The pair of 12-year-olds rolled their eyes dramatically, which forced Bucky to hide his grin. “We want to do something for Papa and Nono for the big party and we need your help,” Ada explained.

“Can you get a hold of all of your friends? Well, anyone who’s still alive,” Felicity added because she’s as much of a little shit as her Nono, “and get them to make video messages about memories they have? We’re asking Mom and Dad to do it, too, and everyone.”

“Sure,” Bucky nodded. “I’ll talk to Nana Nat and then Steve, Thor, Sam, and Carol and we’ll round up as many people as we can. Did you talk to your Auntie Pep yet?”

Ada shook her head. “Nono said she’s in Malaysia. We didn’t want to bother her.”

“Oh, trust me, your Auntie Pep would be delighted to be interrupted by you two,” Bucky laughed. “I’ll tell you a little secret. She hates this client.”

“Oh, okay,” Ada shrugged and nodded to her twin. “We’ll go call her then.” They kissed Bucky on the cheek and scampered off.

Bucky smiled, knowing that his girlfriend would love little more than a break to talk to those girls. Tony had gotten increasingly vocal since he and Pep had turned 70 that it was time for her to retire from the family business. She simply rolled her eyes and said that she was fine and glared at Tony to stop talking.

Bucky had known the siblings since he and Pepper were 10 - they all grew up in the same social circles - and there were only two people who succeeded in getting Tony to stop talking: Stephen and Maebh. Other than that, Tony pretty much ran a commentary track non-stop.

Still smiling, he pulled out his phone to send a quick text.

_James: Love, the twins are going to be calling you soon about a project for T &Ss anniversary._

_Pep: Good, I could use a distraction._

_James: Are you alone?_

_Pep: Yeah._

_Pep: In the hotel, reviewing paperwork for tomorrow._

_James: When you get off the phone with the girls, call me and I’ll give you some longer distraction._

_Pep: Well, that sounds promising._

_James: Spoiler alert, doll. That’s the plan._

* * *

_Flashback: 14th year of marriage, at Bucky and Nat’s wedding_

“Is this seriously still bothering you?” Stephen looked over his glass at his husband.

“Yes!” Tony said, with a tone of complete exasperation. “I’m already sick of people thinking you’re not her father since she doesn’t have your last name and it’s only going to get worse.”

“But we talked about this, Anthony. ‘Strange’ is not a name I want passed on, it carries no legacy and no history for me. ‘Stark’ connects her to you and Pepper and generations personally and then, of course, there’s AVS and the fact that I know you’ll leave her your shares once we’re gone,” Stephen said pragmatically. He leaned over and kissed Tony on the forehead. “Stand down.”

Tony nodded, but was clearly about to say something else when Bucky plopped down in a seat next to him.

“Have you seen my wife?” The grin that appeared on Bucky’s face at that last word melted Tony.

“She was with Pep the last time I spied her,” Stephen replied. “So I’m sure they’re up to no good.”

“Those two have been pains in my ass since middle school,” Bucky replied, grin still in place. “Sure it ain’t gonna stop now.”

All of a sudden, Tony’s phone lit up and he leaned to check the number. “Holy fuck, that’s Angela.”

“Who?” Bucky asked as the other two men were quickly on their feet.

“Our social worker for the adoption,” Stephen called over his shoulder as the pair hurried to a quiet corner of the lobby to be able to take the call.

“Hello?” Tony said hesitantly, a few minutes later, his stomach churning with nerves that she was calling at 8pm on a Friday night.

“Tony? Is Stephen with you?” Her voice betrayed nothing.

“Yes.”

“Excellent,” she replied. “Because tomorrow morning at 11am, I’ll meet you both at 1256 Rosewood Circle in Brightwood. Make sure to have a car seat.”

“Pardon?” Tony knew what he was hearing, but couldn’t quite believe it. He quickly put the phone on speaker.

“Nathan is very excited that he gets to live with Mr. Tony and Mr. Stephen,” Angela replied, “and the Thomas’ are most likely getting a new placement on Monday, so we see no reason to delay. Congratulations, dads!”

Stephen grabbed the phone just in time as Tony’s knees gave out. He sank to the floor in sobs as Stephen wrapped up the call. Just then, Pepper and Nat came around the corner and both flew to the two men in horror.

“What’s wrong?” Pepper asked as she knelt down next to her brother.

“Nothing,” Tony sobbed, a touch of manic laughter eeking out of his tone. “Everything is wonderful.”

“We get to bring Nathan home tomorrow,” Stephen supplied and Nat let out a completely uncharacteristic scream before she took off running. Pepper threw her arms around both men and joined in the tears of joy.

Seconds later, their pile was joined by Bucky, and then Steve found them, and then Bruce caught wind, and soon there were nearly a dozen adults laughing and crying and celebrating. At one point, Tony noticed that he’d gotten tear stains on Nat’s dress and apologized.

“It’s a dress, Stark,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “Nathan’s coming home and nothing else matters.”

“Lizbeth is going to lose her mind,” Bucky laughed.

“Oh God,” Steve groaned, “poor Nathan is going to have two dads and a mom.”

“Oh, he’ll have more moms than that,” Pepper assured them all.

A chuckle and a silence fell over the pile of people until Tony finally said, in a tone full of awe, “our son comes home tomorrow.”

And that set them all off all over again.

* * *

_Video Message: Pepper_

Stephen, I’ve been holding onto a story for over 50 years and this is the perfect opportunity to tell it when you can’t make me stop.

Tony, it was about a week into your truce and I dropped by the project Stephen was on to find him on a break. Scattered around the floor were books on real estate law, the history of different neighborhoods of New York, and then maps of boroughs with neighborhoods crossed off. When I asked him what this all was, he got a completely panicked look in his eye and started babbling about context for projects or whatever. I just let him talk because I could tell that wasn’t the answer.

Finally, he looked at me sheepishly and said he wanted to understand your stories better, Tony. And that’s when I knew most of the bluster about how he acted around you was a front. I put a temporary hold on St. Michael’s that night.  
  


* * *

_Flashback: 10th year of marriage, Lizbeth is really sick_

Four days they had been doing this. 3-year-old Lizbeth had a version of the flu that was as damaging as it was tenacious and the poor child was wrecked.

So were her fathers.

Stephen was in between commissions, so on that front the timing was okay.

But three straight days of holding a floppy, vomiting, feverish toddler had broken him. He’d taken her to the pediatrician that morning just to make sure they were doing everything they could. Their doctor nodded sympathetically, told him the fever would break soon and to just keep giving her Tylenol.

So Stephen did just that when they got home. He rocked her as he coaxed the bubble gum pink liquid into her mouth, gave her a gentle bath, and tucked her back into bed with a vomit bucket on the floor and her trusty best friend, Penny the stuffed penguin, at her side.

And then he climbed into the shower and started sobbing.

Which is where, approximately ten minutes later, his husband found him. Silently, Tony opened the door to the shower cubicle, shut off the water and stepped in, fully dressed and only missing his shoes. He wrapped a towel and then his arms around Stephen.

“You’re doing such a good job, honey, she’s getting better. Her fever’s down - just not quite broken yet, but going in the right direction. She’s hydrated and sleeping and you’re taking such good care of her,” Tony soothed as he let the taller man curl into him.

Tony led Stephen to their bed and forced him to sit down. From there, Stephen’s body seemed to know what was required of it. He laid down and let Tony hug him from the back. Tony’s fingers played with Stephen’s chest hair as he whispered words of affirmation and love into Stephen’s ear.

“I just can’t fix it,” Stephen whispered at one point. “The only thing in the world that matters this much is her and I can’t do the one thing she needs me to do right now and I’m useless.”

“No, darling, you are the farthest thing from that. What she needs the most from you, from both of us, is to be cared for. She needs someone to bathe her and feed her and make sure she takes medicine and call the doctor and fuss and care and love and that is what you are doing. Her body needs to fight the infection and we need to care for her through it,” Tony said.

Stephen took a deep breath. “What Reddit sub did you steal that from?”

“I’ll have you know I came up with that on my own,” Tony’s voice was haughty and Stephen smiled, waiting for the second half of the statement he knew was coming.

“But it was certainly influenced by several threads I’ve read over the past 72 hours.”

Stephen snorted.

“Here’s the good news, baby,” Tony’s voice softened. “No one knows what they’re doing at first. Or ever, it kinda sounds like. So we’ll just keep loving her the best way we know.”

Stephen sighed and knew Tony was right, but wasn’t quite ready to admit it. He was forming an argument back, however, when he fell fast asleep.

* * *

_Video Message: Nat_

So, I’ve known you idiots for how long? Buck thinks we’re all on about 70 years, which is just mind-numbing. I thought for sure you’d have killed yourself by now, Stark - jumping out of an airplane or something else chasing your adrenaline fix. You and Sam - never ever tell him I said this - scared me half to death for most of college with all your hijinks.

I just said hijinks.

I sound like my mother-in-law.

Anyway. Felicity called me a few days ago and asked me to make you a message about your anniversary and what you guys mean to me because she doesn’t know I hate this kind of shit because I am excellent at hiding things from my granddaughters.

But there’s this one…

Do you guys remember when the eight of us went to Disney World right before Steve and Thor brought Marta home? They were in the process, I think, her birth mom was about six months pregnant? Anyway. Eight fully grown adults - or, really, five fully grown adults and then Tony, Thor, and Bucky - taking on the Happiest Place on Earth. We’d died Thor’s hair so he was less recognizable, and Steve had that beard that he bitched about the whole time as being too itchy… but we mostly flew under the radar.

There was one night, it’s the only night I remember perfectly. We were in that mexican restaurant in the temple in Epcot and Bucky was so gone on margaritas that I thought for sure Thor was going to have to piggy-back ride him back to the hotel. And you, my dear Tony, were not far behind him. The waitress came around and I caught Tony opening his mouth to order another and then he made eye contact with you, Stephen and something passed between you two. It wasn’t judgemental or angry, which is what I kind of thought it would be. Instead, if I had to describe the look in Stephen’s eyes - it would be ‘I love you too much to let you make such a fool out of yourself that you’ll be embarrassed tomorrow without saying something, but the choice is yours’.

Tony responded by ordering a margarita and a water and then telling all of us that you had gotten a message earlier that day that Lizbeth’s birth mom had picked you guys. He then handed the margarita to Stephen once it arrived and you shook your head and started laughing.

Whenever I think about your marriage, that’s what I think about.

* * *

_Flashback: Year 30 of marriage. Maebh is about to get her driver’s licence._

“I can’t. My heart-” Tony stared at his husband.

Stephen smirked. “Nathan crashing into a mailbox on his first time out didn’t phase you, but you can’t teach Maebh to drive?”

“She’s so fast,” Tony whispered and Stephen laughed.

“Could it be that she’s been riding in cars with you since she came home to us?”

“I don’t need your sass, Strange,” Tony replied as he climbed into bed next to his husband.

“Ah, I actually think you thrive on it,” Strange replied and put down the book he’d been reading. “Do you want me to take over?”

Tony quirked one eye at Stephen. “I appreciate that we’re both pretending you didn’t take the other two out, too.”

“We all need our pleasant fictions.”

* * *

_Video Message: Steve_

I’m a sap, we all know it, so I’m not going to be cagey about it. I write you both letters with everything I make for you, so hopefully you know how much I really do love you guys. I’ll never be able to repay you for either the financial or physical or emotional support you’ve both offered at different times over the years - especially during everything with Marta. I hope some day she’ll talk to us again, but in the meantime, I’m grateful that my daughter is still talking to you, Tony.

When Thor and I woke up on our 50th anniversary, we spent a while going back through memories. We tried to do it year by year, but we ended up bickering about what happened what year, so we just told stories. I hope you guys get a chance to do that, because your lives have been amazing.

I love you, you know that, but let me say it again. I love you, happy anniversary.

* * *

_Flashback: 35th year of marriage, Lizbeth’s Wedding_

“You gonna hold it together?” Lizbeth looked at her fathers as they were alone in the back of the chapel.

“Oh, absolutely not,” Tony assured her.

“I packed two extra handkerchiefs,” Stephen responded.

Lizbeth rolled her eyes, but there was a fond smile on her face.

“Lil bit,” Stephen invoked her childhood nickname. “When we look at you, we see the first time you held Maebh, and the day you graduated from high school, and the way you looked after you dislocated your shoulder, and all the other phases of your life. You’re looking towards a glorious future with Adam - as you should be - but all we can think of right now is your beautiful past and we are just so proud of the woman you’ve become.”

Lizbeth sniffed back a tear. “A, it was supposed to be Dad who freaked me out with the speeches, Pops, not you. B, say nothing more because I can’t cry these eyelashes off before the photos.”

Both men chuckled and pressed kisses to either side of her head.

“Wouldn’t dream of ruining your day, sweetheart,” Tony murmured as they heard the strains of "The Wedding March" and Tony and Stephen escorted their daughter into her new life.

* * *

_Video Message: Bucky_

I’m helping the girls edit these, so I’ve watched everyone else’s and they’ve pretty much all said what I want to say and most of them have said it better. I’m disturbed, by the way, that I don’t remember that night Nat is talking about at all, which I suppose is really good evidence as to why we didn’t ever have kids. We just corrupted yours.

Anyway.

I love you guys, and you’re both pains in my fucking ass, but also some of the best men on the planet, so thanks for letting me tag along on this life you’ve created. It’s been a pretty incredible ride so far. So here’s to more anniversaries and more parties on Stark’s dime, and all of us growing old together the way we dreamed of doing.

Cheers, idiots.

* * *

“NONO!” Nine-year-old Andrea came barreling towards Tony as soon as he stepped into the house. He caught her mid-leap and ignored the pain in his lower back that reminded him that his picking up children days were quite far in the past.

But when had Tony Stark ever listened to reason when it came to people he loved?

“Drea,” he breathed into her ear as he gave her a hug. “Is everyone else here?”

She nodded as he put her down and then grabbed his hand. “Papa is in the kitchen with Mom and Aunt Padma and Nana Nat. Uncle Steve and Mr. Wilson are playing horseshoes which I didn’t even know was a game until Papa explained it.” She kept chattering and Tony didn’t bother to fight the smile on his face. Of all of his granddaughters, he saw the most of himself in Andrea. Everyone always compared Ava to him, but really? The one who got the insatiable curiosity and who had to let everyone know what was fascinating her was Andrea.

Tony rounded a corner and headed for his husband. Stephen brightened at the sight of him and Tony’s smile widened. “Hey you.”

Stephen’s hands moved to reach for Tony, but caught that Andrea was still clinging like a limpet and just threw his husband a look instead. “Hey you, did the whatever you had to do work out?”

Tony licked his lips to hide a widening smile and nodded. “Pep cleaned up the internal stuff, but I had to do a few media… it doesn’t matter, I’m here now.”

Two nights prior, the family had hosted the official anniversary party with approximately 150 guests and released several press statements they thought would keep everyone happy. However, there was some hubub about a few people they chose to not invite and it became A Thing in the way that things become things in slow news cycles.

Now, however, their house was full of their entire family - not only their three children and four grandchildren and Nat, Pepper, and Bucky - but Carol and Sam and their brood, Thor and Steve, Okoye and Rhodey and their family, Bruce and Betty, and Clint, who had lost his wife that year and they had all told him he didn’t need to bother coming if it would be too much and he responded by showing up early to help out with the party and flipping off anyone who told him to take a break.

As far as both Tony and Stephen were concerned - this was the real party. Instead of the foods they were supposed to like, they were eating the ones they actually did. No one was in a suit, nor in Spanx (as Padma, Lizbeth, Maebh, and Carol were all quick to celebrate), and the only photographs being taken were on phones. It was bliss.

Later in the evening, they all sat down to a potlucked feast in the backyard. The sun was setting over the bay and Tony’s heart was full to bursting. He looked around the collection of tables and smiled. How lucky he was. He was getting ready to stand up and make a speech - his normal role in this little tribe - when Stephen surprised him by standing up instead.

“I know, I know, hold your shock. Papa has things to say,” Stephen laughed good-naturedly as most of the faces registered shock. “I usually let Tony speak for both of us, but today I wanted you all to hear me when I tell you that I love you.”

He cleared his throat and Tony knew that Stephen was only barely holding back tears.

“When I first met Steve, what, 60 years ago? 65?”

“62,” Steve supplied with a soft smile and a nod.

“62 years ago,” Stephen continued. “I was so lonely. You all know the public stuff - I’d lost my family in an apartment fire and was raised by my Aunt Lucy. She didn’t have the money to send me to college, so I got a job as a house painter out on Long Island until I saved up enough money for tuition and the rest is history. What you may not know is that Aunt Lucy hated being burdened with me.” Tony saw a tear form and reached to hold Stephen’s hand.

“And all that taught me was that being alone was easier. Trusting people, asking them to love you - that was too painful a risk. So when the ball of energetic sunshine and flying fists of righteous indignation that is Steve Rogers burst into my life and demanded that we be friends, I had no earthly idea how to cope with such love.

“In all honesty,” he looked around the yard, “it’s still a struggle. But a burden that is less and less heavy the longer the years stretch. Considering I turned down the invitation to Steven and Thor’s wedding because I thought for sure he only invited me out of guilt, I believe I’ve come pretty far. By the time Steve introduced me to Tony and Pepper and therefore this cobbled together family of wonder, I was so hungry for interaction and love that I was brittle. Sharp edges, I believe is the term that James uses for how I was, and he is not wrong. I was sharp, and snappy, and rude, and I am still all of those things sometimes, but whenever I’m not it’s because of you all.”

By this point, his tears were free flowing, so Tony pressed a napkin into his hand and squeezed his hip to let Stephen know Tony was there. Stephen pressed a hand on top of Tony’s in thanks.

“Starting, of course, with Tony who chose me so long ago, but then all of you and those who aren’t with us - I want to thank you for teaching me what love with skin on looks like, what family looks like. Our marriage, we know this for sure, would not work in isolation. As Dr. Banner has said many times, we are both combustible elements and we need stabilizers. So, on this day, I want to toast you all for being those stabilizers.

“And, of course, I need to toast my Anthony,” he continued with a fondness in his voice that shattered Tony. “My brilliant, verbose, charismatic genius, who quiets himself for me, who has championed our children, who pushes me to remember what matters, and who has provided for our family with such dedication it’s breathtaking.” He sniffed and cleared his throat before continuing. “I remember when you first started explaining to Lizbeth what her last name meant and what expectations were going to be on her and which ones you had versus which ones the rest of the world had. Pepper, I need to quickly acknowledge that my daughters learned how to be Stark women from you and you will never receive enough of my thanks for that. But Tony - if I had ever, ever doubted you before I eavesdropped on you and Lizbeth, I never would again. Thank you for being who you are, and letting me be who I am. I love you.”

Tony shot to his feet and pulled Stephen in for a kiss before the other man could signal a toast.

“I have to have the last word, old man,” Tony winked at his husband, who graciously took a seat. He looked out at the gathering and smiled. “Everything he said, I echo, but… “ he looked directly at Stephen. “This nonsense about me helping you is … nonsense. It is you who grounds me, who reminds me that the private Tony is the one everyone chooses and the public one can stay in press statements, that loving our family is more important than earning money for them, that showed me the world as we traipsed around art galleries and exhibitions in cities I can barely pronounce the names of as you hunted for new techniques to play with and new colleagues to celebrate. Your inexhaustible passion for your craft and for those of us who you love is breathtaking and I love you. Happy Anniversary, my love.”

As they both took their seats again, to a round of applause, Pepper rose from her seat and raised her glass. “To my brothers, to Tony and Stephen, happiest of anniversaries and here’s to many more.”

Cries of hear, hear! and we love you, Nono and Papa! were heard throughout the lawn as the toast was completed. The sun set slowly behind them all and neither man could remember a better party in all their lives.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/betheflame1) or [Tumblr](http://betheflame.tumblr.com) for more on these yahoos. You can also submit prompts and cajole me into writing faster - it usually works. 
> 
> This is only my 2nd IronStrange work so please let me know if you think I should keep writing them!


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